Podcasts presented by Sue Dougan

It’s not often we hear of an entrepreneur under the age of ten, but Ioannis Antypas claims to have been making money and spotting an opportunity since the tender age of nine years old, when he decided to start selling bottled water to school friends – as well as their parents! He’s got vast experience in the hospitality industry, and says his latest brainwave was triggered by being served a cold steak in a restaurant. He explains his newest venture, Hela Job, in this episode of Track Record.

Claire Dale is the founder of Companies in Motion and a specialist in physical intelligence. She was previously a well-known dancer, leading her own dance company to critical acclaim and creating works for Sir Paul McCartney. She says ‘mental and physical rehearsal’ of the most challenging parts of your day can help to keep the adrenaline at healthy and productive levels, drawing on her own performance background to work with clients such as Sony and Coca-Cola.

Dave Coplin recently left Microsoft after ten years as CEO (Chief Envisioning Officer!) and now runs The Envisioners, his own company dedicated to helping companies manage future technology. He’s an in-demand speaker and writer. His first proper job was in an Apple store, and he urges us to be less cautious and fearful about technology, especially where our children are concerned. He says he still takes inspiration from a former boss and mentor, whose management style was to ‘sit quietly at the back and let things unfold with his encouragement.’ Listen as he urges us to get out of the 9-5 commuter, “bums in seats” mentality many corporations still have, and instead to use technology – such as laptops – as they were supposed to be used: to encourage a new way of working, rather than sticking to an outdated model of what work should be.

Steven Van Bellegham is a thought leader, marketer, and keynote speaker. Steven is also an entrepreneur who likes to invest in start-ups, and works in consultancy with organisations of all sizes. He is co-founder of consultancy firm Nexxworks and of content creation company Snackbytes, and he’s a guest marketing professor at Vlerick Business School. He loves Disney, and admires how President Barack Obama used to handle his ‘homework’ at the White House. Listen on to find out more. Published on 10 Oct 19

Ken Allen started in accountancy before joining DHL three decades ago. For ten years from 2009 he was CEO of DHL Express, responsible for turning around the company from a loss-making mega brand (losing -$3bn globally in 2008) into a world-class performer (profits of $2bn in 2018). He recently handed over the leadership reigns, and is now CEO of DHL’s eCommerce Solutions division. He’s a “back-to-the-floor” kind of guy, often spending time with his organisation’s driving workforce (more often wearing company uniform than a suit!) and has a habit of breaking into song at functions and meetings – earning himself the nickname ‘the Singing CEO’.

Alana Parsons is Chief Operating Officer and travel money expert at Caxton FX, where she’s worked for the last 15 years. A self-confessed finance obsessive, she’s been known to belt out pop songs in the middle of marathon days and nights at the office and believes in bringing a lightness of touch to the organisation! She’s widely travelled, loves the USA in particular and as you’ll hear has been the instigator of one or two company traditions.

Diana Theodores is director of Theatre 4 Business, using her extensive background in the theatre to bring performance and creativity to corporations. She serves on the faculties of the Cranfield School of Management, The Banff Centre and Mobius Executive leadership. She has a PhD from Trinity College in Dublin and still loves all things performance – listen as she describes delivering coaching to a bunch of butchers! She’s passionate on the subject of women in leadership, working hard with women who have CEO potential. She’s also the author of ‘Performing As You’, drawing on her background in theatre to bring confidence and authenticity to the workplace.

Julian Daizan Skinner is a British Rinzai Zen Buddhist Rōshi master - the first British man to achieve that level. He discovered mindfulness and yoga after an earlier career in engineering, and now teaches and writes prolifically on the subject. He’s the founder of Zenways, which promotes and encourages activities and practices that enhance human wellbeing, balance and awakening in the modern world. Julian also explains how his years in the study of zen have given him an insight into how it can be applied to best effect in the workplace.

Ben Leonard joined HSBC as a graduate, and was an internal success story, reaching the level of former Head of Financial Institutions at HSBC. Having spent 20 years working for the organisation, he left in 2016 and went into partnership with a friend. They have launched the app FirstHomeCoach (with more related titles to follow). Listen as he talks about the change from corporation to entrepreneur, and how his house now operates the ‘one cereal at a time rule’ owing to his shift in salary!

Justin Wright is the co-author of best-selling business book, ‘Stretchonomics’ and co-founder at consultancy Mangrove. A builder’s son, he started out as a money broker before deciding that City life was not for him – he describes his first day as one of the most daunting of his life. He later studied psychology before joining Proctor and Gamble. His agency looks after the likes of Diageo, Unilever, and BP. Justin admires great names from the world of sport, saying we should not underestimate the power of enjoying “something simple”.